June 1-7

"Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?"

The sermon of Alma to the Nephites. Alma having left the Judgement Seat and embarked on a mission as the High Priest of the Church.

In Alma 5:26 he asks if we can "...sing the song of redeeming love" reading this scripture reminded me of an unforgettable talk given by Elder Holland in the April 2017 General Conference titled "Songs Sung and Unsung" in which he references this scripture. A talk perfectly suited to combat this troublesome period of protesting and conflict. Elder Holland says, "Someday I hope a great chorus will harmonize across all racial and ethnic lines, declaring that guns, slurs, and vitriol are not the way to deal with human conflict." Truly, the pure love of Christ is the only way to overcome such, and watching this talk again granted me a sense of peace and liberty from the oppressive cycle of bad news. If that doesn't motivate you to watch it, I don't think anything will.

In teaching the people of Zarahemla, comprising chapter 5, Alma uses a teaching method intended to trigger self-reflection in the listener. Alma asks a total of 43 questions, each with specific purpose and an accompanying principle or lesson that is to be learned in their answering. While reading Alma's questions, before reading his answer, I paused to consider the condition of my own faith and ability to answer honestly. I expect that he offered those in his audience a brief time for reflection before proceeding to give his answer. I made an attempt to copy each of Alma's questions into my notebook so I would have a concise reference, a place to go for reflection, and in reading, answer for myself. I have copied them here:

Alma's Questions

5:6

- have you sufficiently retained in remembrance the captivity of your fathers?

- have you sufficiently retained in remembrance his mercy and long-suffering towards them?

- have ye sufficiently retained in remembrance that he has delivered their souls from hell?

5:8

- were they [their fathers] destroyed?

5:9

- were the bands of death broken, and the chains of hell which encircled them about, were they loosed?

5:10

- on what conditions are they saved?

- what grounds had they to hope for salvation?

- What is the cause of their being loosed from the bands of death, yea, and also the chains of hell?

5:11

- did not my father Alma believe in the words which were delivered by the mouth of Abinadi?

- was he not a holy prophet?

- Did he not speak the words of God, and my father Alma believe them?

5:14

- have ye spiritually been born of God?

- Have ye received his image in your countenances?

- Have ye experienced this mighty change in your hearts?

5:15

- Do ye exercise faith in the redemption of him who created you?

5:16

- can you imagine to yourselves that ye hear the voice of the Lord, saying unto you, in that day: Come unto me ye blessed, for behold, your works have been the works of righteousness upon the face of the earth?

5:17

- Or do ye imagine to yourselves that ye can lie unto the Lord in that day, and say—Lord, our works have been righteous works upon the face of the earth—and that he will save you?

5:18

- can ye imagine yourselves brought before the tribunal of God with your souls filled with guilt and remorse, having a remembrance of all your guilt, yea, a perfect remembrance of all your wickedness, yea, a remembrance that ye have set at defiance the commandments of God?

5:19

- can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?

- can you look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenances?

5:20

- can ye think of being saved when you have yielded yourselves to become subjects to the devil?

5:22

- how will any of you feel, if ye shall stand before the bar of God, having your garments stained with blood and all manner of filthiness?

- Behold, what will these things testify against you?

5:23

- will they not testify that ye are murderers, yea, and also that ye are guilty of all manner of wickedness?

5:24

- do ye suppose that such an one can have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white?

5:26

- if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?

Here Alma is asking, if at one time we did experience that change of heart, do you still feel the effects of that change? This change of heart is not a one and done event, it is something we can and must feel often, whenever we invite the Holy Spirit to be with us. It can happen when we are obedient to the commandments, exercise our spiritual gifts, and partake of the sacrament. If we don't do this often, we will end up as the Nephites of Zarahemla. We forget how to sing "the song of redeeming love".

5:27

- Have ye walked, keeping yourselves blameless before God?

- Could ye say, if ye were called to die at this time, within yourselves, that ye have been sufficiently humble?

- That your garments have been cleansed and made white through the blood of Christ, who will come to redeem his people from their sins?

5:28

- are ye stripped of pride?

5:29

- is there one among you who is not stripped of envy?

5:30

- is there one among you that doth make a mock of his brother, or that heapeth upon him persecutions?

5:39

- if ye are not the sheep of the good shepherd, of what fold are ye?

5:45

- Do ye not suppose that I know of these things myself?

As a response to this question in verse 45, Alma teaches us an important principle of revelation, and what work must be done to receive it. Our prophets and apostles have reinforced many times recently, the importance of each of us having the ability to receive our own personal revelation. These are two that came to mind, from President Nelson:

"If we will truly receive the Holy Ghost and learn to discern and understand His promptings, we will be guided in matters large and small... in coming days, it will not be possible to survive spiritually without the guiding, directing, comforting, and constant influence of the Holy Ghost." - President Nelson, "Revelation for the Church, Revelation for Our Lives" April 2018 General Conference

"I renew my plea for you to do whatever it takes to increase your spiritual capacity to receive personal revelation." - President Nelson, "Hear Him" April 2020 General Conference

For Alma it took fasting and prayer for many days to receive the revelation that he sought. 5:46 "they are made known unto me by the Holy Spirit of God. Behold, I have fasted and prayed many days that I might know these things of myself." I remember a phrase I used recently to reinforce the principle of fasting to my two oldest children, "you have to want it more than you want food." If there is revelation you need, how much do you want it? What are you willing to do to get it? Questions that I will ask myself through the day on a fast Sunday such as today.

5:53

- can ye withstand these sayings; yea, can ye lay aside these things, and trample the Holy One under your feet; yea, can ye be puffed up in the pride of your hearts; yea, will ye still persist in the wearing of costly apparel and setting your hearts upon the vain things of the world, upon your riches?

5:54 - 55

- Yea, will ye persist in supposing that ye are better one than another; yea, will ye persist in the persecution of your brethren, who humble themselves and do walk after the holy order of God, wherewith they have been brought into this church, having been sanctified by the Holy Spirit, and they do bring forth works which are meet for repentance - Yea, and will you persist in turning your backs upon the poor, and the needy, and in withholding your substance from them?

5:58

- what have ye to say against this?

5:59

- what shepherd is there among you having many sheep doth not watch over them, that the wolves enter not and devour his flock?

Contrast this message and method of teaching with the teachings to the people in the city of Gideon comprising chapter 7; Gideon being the next destination for Alma's mission. In Gideon there is only one question asked in verse 7:17 "do ye believe these things?" Alma already knew the answer, having received revelation that the people in Gideon did believe.These people were spiritually prepared to receive a message of hope from Alma. A message of Christ, his conception and mission (7:10-13).

And so to follow in the teaching example of Alma I ask a few questions of my own:

- Which city would you like to be in, Zarahemla or Gideon?

- Would you prefer the sermon of indignation and warning, or the message of faith, hope and charity?

- If it is the latter, are you spiritually prepared to receive such a message? If not, Alma has 43 questions for you.

Finally, I leave you with the admonition of Alma from 5:57, be separate as to the things of this world, "I say unto you, all you that are desirous to follow the voice of the good shepherd, come ye out from the wicked, and be ye separate, and touch not their unclean things" that we may also receive the "manifestations of the spirit".

Amen